Third person's POV
Tabitha's eyes snapped open, and she sat up abruptly.
She had just drifted off to sleep but had awakened suddenly for no apparent reason.
Instinctively, she got out of bed and looked around. The sea was calm, with barely any waves. There was no sound around her. How, then, had she woken up?
It was late. As Tabitha pushed open her door, she saw a man smoking not far away.
In the days they had spent together, she had never seen Wilmot smoke, but there he was, leaning against the railing.
The corridor was dimly lit, making it hard to see his face, and his body was largely shrouded in darkness.
The only visible things were the glowing red tip of his cigarette and the outline of his long fingers.
His entire aura was different from usual, like a cold moon encircled by dark mist, exuding an eerie and mysterious vibe.
The moment he saw Tabitha, he flicked his finger, and the cigarette butt arced through the ni
Third person's POVThe little boy's face bore several scratches, and his small fingers were covered in wounds. Those tender little hands, stained with blood, were heart-wrenching.As Captain applied medicine to his injuries, the boy stood still, tears welling up in his eyes, but he stubbornly held them back.Captain stared at the boy for a while, feeling as if he recognized him as he reminded him of someone.After cleaning their wounds, Captain asked several questions but received no answers.After eating and drinking her fill, the little girl's head bobbed like a chick pecking at rice, and she fell asleep within minutes.The boy was clearly exhausted but stayed alert, watching Captain."You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. What's your name? Did you get lost from your mom and dad?"The boy remained silent, not revealing a word.Captain sighed, "I've never seen such a vigilant child. Alright, I won't ask a
Third person's POVThe kitchen wasn't on this deck. The cargo the ship was transporting wasn't alive or fresh food products.Under normal circumstances, the smell of blood should not have appeared out of nowhere.However, thinking of the gunshot last night, Wilmot became more vigilant.He would not overlook any opportunity that could potentially harm Tabitha.After preparing breakfast for her, Wilmot quickly headed to the surveillance room.He figured that by checking the surveillance footage, he should be able to clear up all his doubts.The crew member in charge of monitoring the cameras was fast asleep, snoring loudly.Wilmot skillfully operated the equipment, starting to review the footage from half an hour ago.His fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, but he found that the surveillance system had malfunctioned, making it impossible to retrieve any relevant records.It was clear that someone had tampered wi
Third person's POVThey were about to enter the perilous area known as the Demon's Abyss.Wilmot was determined to eliminate the lurking danger.He believed that the intruder was hiding in the storage room. He wouldn't dare to come out.The storage room, which only contained some maintenance tools and was seldom visited, was the perfect hiding place.As Wilmot pushed open the door to the storage room, a pungent and musty odor assaulted his senses.It was mingled with a faint scent of blood.With the approaching evening and an overcast day, the entire sea was shrouded in darkness, and the storage room on the lower deck was pitch black.The only sound was the waves crashing against the ship, making the room eerily quiet.Wilmot stepped cautiously into the room, his intuition telling him that the person he was looking for was there.Wilmot knew that that man was like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, waiting for
Third person's POVThe owner of the mask was none other than Lucian. Lucian squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the tall man before him.This man bore some resemblance to Derek, though Derek was more robust and burly than this individual.His gaze lingered on Wilmot's face. That was a face devoid of any distinctive features, a face he had never encountered before.Could it be that he wasn't here to kill him?"Do you know me?" Lucian asked, puzzled.Hearing the voice, Wilmot stepped forward, grabbing Lucian's collar with a cold stare. "Tell me, how did you end up here?"Lucian found this man's attitude quite odd. If he were one of the people pursuing him, he would have seized the opportunity to blow his head off, rather than wasting time with questions.Who could he be?The kick Wilmot had delivered earlier had landed squarely on Lucian's wound, causing it to tear open and bleed, staining his clothes red.Before Wilmot
Third person's POVCaptain had no time to explain in detail and hurriedly left.Ayla looked at Helios with a face full of worry, but Helios ignored her, staring intently at the chess piece Captain had last placed on the board.Knowing the threat of the double "Bishops" ahead, he still moved forward.This game of chess was a dead end, no matter how it was played."Helios..."Helios had heard about pirates from Lucian. In his perception, pirates were inhumane and treacherous individuals who committed all sorts of evil for the sake of seizing resources.They were the bullies of the sea.The cargo ship transporting mineral materials became their target.It seemed that this time, Captain was in big trouble.He was aware of the danger but lacked the ability to prevent it.What he could do now was to find Lucian quickly and have Lucian take them away before things got worse.At just over two years old, Heli
Third person's POVTabitha instinctively glanced at her watch. At this usual hour, Wilmot would punctually bring her some fresh fruit.But today was unusual. Where could Wilmot have gone?Her gaze wandered around the room, finally resting on the window pane illuminated by the dim light.She watched as the raindrops, slanting and relentless, struck the glass, producing a soft ticking sound.It was raining, a weather that always inexplicably made her feel oppressed.Leaning against the bed, she stared at the ceiling, sleepless.With no other choice, she put on her headphones, trying to let her thoughts drift with the music, easing her inner turmoil.She didn't know how much time had passed when the ship suddenly and violently rocked without warning.Tabitha's body swayed with the bed, jolting her from her daze, her eyes snapping open wide.'Something was wrong!'A terrifying thought flashed through her mind.
Third person's POVWitnessing the child fall into the sea, Tabitha felt as if all the blood in her body had solidified in an instant, her heart seemingly gripped by an invisible hand.How could this be?The little girl had been within reach, about to be saved. Why was fate so cruel as to shatter hope at this critical moment?The little boy's heart-wrenching cries pierced Tabitha's ears like a sharp sword, "Ayla!"Tabitha instinctively looked down at the boy.When she saw his face, which bore a striking resemblance to her own, her inner world was shaken as if by a powerful earthquake. She was experiencing an unprecedented impact.A bold and irresistible thought flashed through her mind.She had no time for contemplation or verification.This thought took root and spread like wild grass, driving her to act irrationally and leap over the railing into the sea without a second thought.Her thoughts surged back to three
Third person's POVThe little girl had already choked on several mouthfuls of seawater. In extreme fear, her body trembled uncontrollably."Don't be afraid. Mommy's here to save you," Tabitha tried to soothe the child.She was so young. There was chaos and noise on the ship, with the pirate ship closing in and the captain directing the crew to fire water cannons in retaliation.The child's life hung by a thread. In her madness from fear, she struggled wildly.Tabitha had exhausted all her strength just to keep them afloat. Ayla's constant struggle made it even harder for Tabitha, with her physical strength rapidly dwindling.The waves were rough, and she had swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater. Despite this, Tabitha still desperately held Ayla, fearing Ayla would choke on the water.But she felt her strength being drained. Her body grew weaker and weaker.Tabitha was worried that they would die.Tabitha cursed her la
Third person's POVTabitha closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm her emotions. After a while, she opened her eyes again and asked, "Were you also involved that night on the boat?""Yes," Derek replied without hesitation."Is Wilmot your man?" Tabitha's voice carried a hint of doubt.Derek paused for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, before slowly answering, "Yes, I was just too worried about you, so I had him go to protect you.""Then do you know what we..." Tabitha's words were cut short as Derek suddenly slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop on the side of the road.He turned to look at Tabitha, his eyes filled with sincerity and urgency, and said, "Tabitha, I am very clear about what happened that night. He was there to help you."Tabitha did not believe Derek's words. Her eyes were filled with anger and disappointment as she shouted, "Wilmot disappeared as soon as he came back. Forrest told me last night that he was dying. Was that y
Third person's POVDerek never expected that as soon as Tabitha returned, he would receive a call from Gloria.On the other end of the line, Gloria's voice came through, "Tabitha wants to see you."Hearing this, Derek's heart sank, and he sighed, thinking to himself, 'I knew it. I couldn't hide it from her.'On an evening with snowflakes drifting down, the sky was shrouded in gloom, and the snow fell gently, covering the entire world in a silver-white veil.Tabitha wrapped her coat tightly and saw Derek again.Since her staged death, Tabitha had only seen Derek through news reports.Now, as she approached him, she was surprised to find that he had become much thinner, his figure appearing particularly frail.Derek was dressed in a black coat, leaning quietly against the car. In just a minute, snowflakes began to fall on his head, accumulating a thin layer of white snow.Tabitha took a deep breath, calming her emotions, and then walked towards Derek.Looking at Derek, her eyes carried
Third person's POVGloria held Helios on her lap, skillfully peeling a grape and feeding it to him, her experience with children evident."Feeling better now that it's out," she said, watching the child play quietly nearby.Tabitha casually inquired, "Why did you hold back on the day we met, only to tell me today?"Gloria had her excuse ready, responding, "You had just returned to the States, and I didn't know your situation. I was afraid it would cause you trouble."Tabitha peeled a few more grapes before setting them aside when Helios indicated he'd had enough.She then looked at Gloria and said slowly, "You weren't afraid of causing me trouble. You were afraid I would leave, weren't you?"Gloria was taken aback, about to argue, but Tabitha saw through her, "Every time you lie, you subconsciously avert your gaze, fearing I'll see through you."Gloria, in a fit of exasperation, covered her face with a blanket, "You two are tru
Third person's POVDerek's face contorted with pain as he continued, "After Tabitha faked her death, I suspected what had happened. I was torn at the time, wanting to bring her back, but I also understood that doing so would only repeat past mistakes. So, I protected her within my control and waited silently. Gloria, I swear, I won't hurt her again."A hint of pleading appeared on Derek's face as he went on, "I'm asking for your help not out of selfishness. Tabitha's illness isn't fully healed, her body hasn't recovered, and with two children in tow, she wouldn't be able to protect herself if danger arises."Gloria had never seen Derek so humble.She remembered how Derek had always approached her with a condescending attitude four years ago.Derek continued, "You are Tabitha's friend, and your starting point should be considering her safety, right? If I wanted to harm her, I could just bring her back directly, so why would I go through the trouble
Third person's POVThe two children were a blend of their parents. The girl resembled Derek, while the boy took after Tabitha, which was quite different from their brother, Kyrian.Derek thought to himself that if Kyrian knew he had two younger siblings, he would be thrilled.But when he considered his relationship with Tabitha, he sighed deeply, filled with regret for his past actions.At that moment, Alvin approached swiftly and reported, "Just received news from the island. Noah is taking Ayla away, and Lucian's direction also leads to the island. He plans to take Tabitha away."Derek, with his hands behind his back and a furrowed brow, spoke with a melancholic expression, "Lucian intends to take more than just Ayla—Tabitha as well. She has always sought opportunities to leave me, and this presents her with an excellent chance.""What should we do? Should we stop him now? Otherwise, with his capabilities, if he truly takes Tabitha a
Third person's POVPlans... Tabitha's original goal had been to find her two children and Jasper.The children were found, but Jasper was without a trace.However, she couldn't search aimlessly without a target.Thinking of Derek's anxious appearance last night, it was clear he still had feelings for her.Gloria's text warning Tabitha to be careful of Derek came to Tabitha's mind again.Tabitha felt she had overlooked some subtle details. What exactly had she missed?It seemed a key point was missing, and once found, it would connect all the events."I don't know. I just wanted to find the children, but I didn't expect to court death. And Derek's attitude towards me is ambiguous. Outside this cabin, I don't know what awaits me," Tabitha said, her face full of entanglement.Seeing her struggle, Lucian took a big gulp of mineral water and mustered the courage to say, "Have you severed ties with him?"Tabitha nodded,
Third person's POVDerek had painstakingly built up Tabitha's trust by posing as Wilmot.He knew that if she ever discovered his true identity, her anger would be immense, and the trust he had spent half a year constructing would crumble entirely.Derek continued, "Send someone to discreetly protect her without revealing themselves. Ayla is still on the island. Tabitha will go to see her."Rolf nodded in agreement, "Understood."Derek added with caution, "Remember, Lucian has a strong ability to detect surveillance, so do not get too close."Rolf responded, "Yes, Alpha Derek. We will handle it immediately."Turning to Alvin, Derek instructed, "Investigate the identities of those deceased men thoroughly."Derek pondered whether Tabitha's survival had been leaked, perhaps when she was seen on the boat.The assailants had been ruthless, and if not for Lucian's timely arrival, Tabitha could have been in grave danger. He had
Third person's POVForrest's voice was laced with worry, "Ms. Hartley, where are you now?"Tabitha had already settled her wages with Forrest before sending the children to the island. She couldn't fathom why he would contact her at this juncture.She couldn't help but feel puzzled.Tabitha inquired, "What's wrong?"Forrest replied, "Wilmot's had an accident. You need to come see him."Tabitha was still trying to make sense of Derek's appearance at the bar when she heard about Wilmot's predicament, and her heart immediately filled with worry.She quickly asked, "What happened to him?"Forrest explained, "Wilmot was already ill recently, and he drank a lot tonight. He's suffered from alcohol poisoning and has been taken to the hospital. He keeps asking to see you, Ms. Hartley. Where are you? Can you come to see him?"Tabitha thought to herself that even if she knew her current location, she couldn't just tell anyone.
Third person's POVTwo more gunshots rang out, the shooter's aim dead on as two more men fell to the ground.Tabitha saw a tall figure standing deep in the alley, shrouded in a cloak, making it impossible to discern who it was.Tabitha's mind raced with questions. Was he a friend or foe?The man removed his hat, revealing the distinctive totem mask beneath.Tabitha stared in disbelief and uttered, "Lucian, why are you here?""Long story. Come with me," Lucian said, grabbing Tabitha's hand and leading her away.They didn't get far before Tabitha glanced back to see Derek and Leopold rushing out of a bar together.Surprise washed over Tabitha. How could Derek be here?Her blood seemed to freeze. 'When did he return?'Lucian pulled Tabitha into a dilapidated black car that passed right in front of Derek.Leaning against the car window, Tabitha gazed at Derek, lost in thought.'If Leopold had arranged to